Spain, Libya, and Iraq are just a few countries who fared worst than last year in Transparency International's 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index.

Spain slipped from 30th place in 2012 to 40th this year out of 177 countries around the world where perceptions about corruption were measured. Libya fell 12 places from 160 in 2012 to 172 in 2013; Iraq also from 169th place in 2012 to 171 in 2013.

The BRIC countries did not fare much better. China and India ranked 80th and 94th, respectively, the same spots that they held in 2012. Brazil fell three spots from 69 in 2012 to 72 in 2013. Russia was the only BRIC nation to improve its rank, slightly moving up from 133 in 2012 to127 in 2013. Mexico fell one spot from 105 to 106.

Countries that improved their scores include Greece and Ireland. Greece jumped from 94th place in 2012 to 80th place in 2013. Ireland also improved from 25th place in 2012 to 21st place this year.

The United States placed 19th, the same as its 2012 ranking. The last two years mark an improvement from the 2011 index, when the United States ranked 24th.

Abuse of power, bribery and corruption, and secret dealings are still endemic in several countries around the world, particularly within political parties, police, and justice systems. “Public institutions need to be more open about their work and officials must be more transparent in their decision-making,” according to the TI report. “Corruption remains notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute.”

The index ranks countries on a scale of zero (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean). Of the 177 countries ranked in this year's index, 123 scored below 50, signaling that public companies need to be more transparent, and government officials held more accountable.

“The Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 demonstrates that all countries still face the threat of corruption at all levels of government, from the issuing of local permits to the enforcement of laws and regulations,” said TI Chair Huguette Labelle.

Denmark and New Zealand tied for first place with scores of 91, reflecting low levels of state sector corruption. Finland, which ranked first in the 2012 index, dropped to third this year. Sweden and Norway ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.

“The top performers clearly reveal how transparency supports accountability and can stop corruption,” said Labelle. “Still, the better performers face issues like state capture, campaign finance and the oversight of big public contracts, which remain major corruption risks.”

Afghanistan, North Korea, and Somalia continue to cling to the bottom rung of the index with a score of eight, which is also where they ranked in the 2012 index. In these countries, the lack of accountable leadership and effective public institutions underscore the need to take a much stronger stance against corruption.

“It is time to stop those who get away with acts of corruption,” said Labelle. “The legal loopholes and lack of political will in government facilitate both domestic and cross-border corruption, and call for our intensified efforts to combat the impunity of the corrupt.”

Future efforts to respond to climate change, economic crisis and extreme poverty will face a massive roadblock in the shape of corruption, Transparency International warned. "International bodies like the G20 must crack down on money laundering, make corporations more transparent and pursue the return of stolen assets," TI stated.

View a full list of each country's rankings here.